Silver doesn’t quite go so far as to say that it makes a brokered convention or a late-breaking establishment candidate likely, but I’m willing to go that far. There’s just no way the Republican establishment lets Gingrich become their nominee. As Andrew Sullivan pointed out today, you’re already seeing the anti-Gingrich mobilization among conservative thought leaders: Here’s George Will, Charles Krauthammer, David Brooks, Ross Douthat, Tom Coburn and Ann Coulter, just for starters. There’s this Politico story about all the Washington Republicans who hate Gingrich. Now, I think it’s more likely that this mobilization leads to a Romney win then...

Unless you have been involved in an airplane crash in the mountains and have had no food for days –– and some would argue even then –– cannibalism is a bad option. So why has it become such a popular pastime for the Republican Party? The candidates who are admitting they might run against President Barack Obama in 2012 have almost no chance at competing with him –– much less making him a one-term president. If the Republicans are serious about beating Obama, they need a conservative who can exist closer to the middle of the political spectrum. Ron Paul...

House Republicans say they’re all on the same page about wanting to choke off funding for President Barack Obama’s health care law, but in their first real spending bill of 2011, it looks like they’re leaving that priority on the cutting room floor. As the GOP writes a continuing resolution to fund the government for the rest of the year, it is likely to leave out language that would shut off funding for new mandates and programs under the health care law, according to Republican aides and lawmakers. They’ll still have a shot at killing health care funding — using...

(snip) Other Republican leaders such as Ron Kaufman, the longtime confidant to President George H.W. Bush, believe 2012 could be a banner year for the state GOP. He pointed to Brown’s upcoming reelection campaign, last November’s gains by Republican state representatives, and the possibility of having former governor Mitt Romney on the presidential ticket. "For us, it’s about getting the message out," said Kaufman, who added that GOP candidates would focus on the economy and their opposition’s record next year. "If you look at the last three speakers of the House in Massachusetts, they’ve all been indicted for one problem...

I am getting sick and tired of people making and posting all these shallow ad hominem attacks on Sarah Palin. She threatens business as usual in Washington, period. The next time some so called"expert" in the media, ex Bush, ex Mccain establishment types attack someone like Palin , ask the question what part of her policy stances are they criticizing? The answer will always be the same NONE. Reason being, they know she sides with the American people on the major issues and if they were to be honest about why they come on these shows and write what they...

Why do conservative elites go out of their way to trash Palin? I’ve noticed that George Will and Charles Krauthammer have taken time out of their many TV gigs to trash Sarah Palin. Other prominent conservatives seem to relish dissing the former Alaska governor. David Frum, Joe Scarborough, Peggy Noonan, David Brooks, Chris Christie; don’t forget Kathleen Parker, who parleyed her Palin envy into a CNN talk show that no one watches. This is not an attack on these conservatives. I read them all and often find a lot of worth in what they opine. I don’t understand why they...

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) lashed out at fellow Republicans Tuesday for a "capitulation ... of dramatic proportions" to Democrats and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) in the lame-duck Congress. Graham said Republicans have no one to blame but themselves for allowing ratification of the New START Treaty and other legislation in the period before new lawmakers are sworn in in January. "When it's all going to be said and done, Harry Reid has eaten our lunch," Graham said on Fox News radio. "This has been a capitulation in two weeks of dramatic proportions of policies that wouldn't have passed...

Christine O'Donnell is a hero to all for taking out Mike Castle. His "Dream Act" vote cemented that. His yes vote in the house would have been at much more strength, as he could have easily voted for cloture, giving the horrendous act of amnesty bipartition cover. Primaries for RINOs is the only way to save our republic, and my this Castle vote be the first topic Hannity of the other talking heads bring up to Tokyo Rove.

"Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned." The Republican establishment would do well to learn from William Congreve's famous line in "The Mourning Bride" (1697) and even more from the accurate reading of his line: "Heaven has no rage like love to hatred turned / Nor hell a fury like a woman scorned." "Stop Sarah Palin" is the battle cry of establishment Republicans, according to Mike Allen and Jim VandeHei in Politico: "Top Republicans in Washington and in the national GOP establishment say the 2010 campaign highlighted an urgent task that they will begin in earnest as soon as...

WASHINGTON - Republicans loyal to House Majority Leader Tom DeLay strongly denounced on Monday a GOP moderate's call for DeLay to step down from his leadership post. But House Republicans were closely watching whether the lack of confidence expressed by Rep. Christopher Shays, R-Conn., is shared by a significant segment of the party or represented merely the disgruntlement of a member worried about Democratic opposition back home. Shays complained during the weekend that DeLay's ethical conduct "is hurting the Republican Party, is hurting this Republican majority and it is hurting any Republican who is up for re-election." 'Difficult district' Some...